I have devised a way of dynamically compressing and detonating a small volume of a fuel-air mixture to form an abrupt compression wave that can transmit combustion energy directly to perform useful work. My invention does not require precompression of the fuel-air mixture, and it burns a portion of the mixture in a way that dynamically compresses and detonates the remainder without requiring mechanically movable parts. It is also directional in dynamically forcing the compression wave toward its target, and it does not require high strength containment of the detonation. It acts rapidly in creating a high pressure and does not transmit much wasted heat to a containing chamber. It affords a simple, lightweight, and compact way of transforming the chemical energy of a fuel directly into an abrupt, high pressure compression wave that can thrust against a relatively movable resistance to accomplish useful work.
My invention first led to a small gun that forms sharp compression waves and transmits them through air for several feet with sufficient force to knock over small objects and kill insects. Experiments with this showed that compression waves dynamically formed according to my invention can be made efficiently at different speeds and pressures and can be applied to many tasks. These include launching a projectile, driving a piston, powering an impact tool, powering a fastener driving tool, and serving as a prime mover supplying thrust energy for engines and other devices. My invention can operate in a single shot mode to form a compression wave for each ignition of a fuel charge, and it can also operate in a repeating mode to form a series of compression waves at frequencies as high as 500 hertz.
I have sought simplicity, economy, portability, compactness, fuel efficiency, versatility, and effectiveness in a compression wave former that can be put to many uses. My device can serve as a prime mover for quickly applying the energy of a detonated fuel to accomplish a task cleanly and efficiently with as few intermediates as possible between the combustion and delivery of working energy.